New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-01-05

Since January LIST every town in this
county has to support its own poor,
One of the special laws passed at the
last session of the legislature provided
for the submission Of this question to
the voters of Brown County at the last
election. Usually special laws have a
proviso that the county auditor must
give notice that such law is to be vot-
ed upon, but this one, either through
neglect or for reasons that are known
only to the originators of the bill, did
not contain this necessary provision.
The fact that only 119 votes were cast
on this proposition, and these all in the
affirmative, looks rather peculiar to
say the least. The law might have
passed if all the voters in the county
had known of it, but we are sure that
a good many votes would have been
cast in the negative. The law, as it
now stands, provides that the town
boards Of Supervisors shall have entire
and exclusive superintendence of the
poor of their respective towns. The
electors of each town must, at the an
nual town meeting in each year, vote
to raise such sum of money for the sup
port of the poor as they may deem ex-
pedient. No person is entitled to aid
from such town unless having lived
therein one year" The law itself looks
rather Harmless but when we
come to consider the matter more close.
ly, it looks to us as though it was a law
providing for the starvation rather,
than the support of the poor, or, very
expensive luxury for the different
towns.
Under the former law the poor were
doing fairly we'll. The allowance from
the county was small, but by removing
to the cities and villages, they could
earn enough more to exc out liveli-
hood. Under the present law the city
authorities will certainly not permit
them to become residents. In country
towns they will be unable to 6nt
sufficient work and towns will be called
upon to support them altogether, when
formerly they paid only about one
fifth of what was necessary for their
support. Very few towns will be will
ling to contribute from 20 to 60 dollars
per month to poor family, when the
county. under the old law, paid from
4 to II dollars per month.
The result will be that the poor will
have to suffer. The towns will not sup
port them sufficiently, the cities and
villages will not allow them to become
residents. OF course the towns might
do as one OF the brilliant statesmen eff
this county suggested, i. e. buy house
and lot for the poor in the village and
give them means enough to support
them for one year at the end of that
time the village would have to support
them, We don't believe that any board
OF town supervisors would be mean
enough 10 do anything of this kind.
This law should be repealed at once
and we hope that our representative
and senator will attend to the matter.
At recent meeting Of the city coan-
Gil the members of the local board of
nealth rendered their designations be-
cause they were not paid for their SER
vices. A good many people think the
board should serve without pay, but we
beg to differ with them. The duties of
the board are such that they should be
paid we'll. providing they do their duty.
A corporation cannot expect men to
render their services for nothing and we
hope that the council will find some
means of providing pay for SO necessary
an adjunct to q city as q board of health
is.
The grapevine brought us the news
that Chas. Heideman was nominated as
the democratic candidate for clerk Of
the senate at the caucus held in St.
Paul Monday evening, as Chas. is q
stalwart democrat, and the republican
majority TO large to be overcome, he
will not get the position; but it is honor
enough to even get the nomination for
such position.
Dr.. j. G. Rothenburg of Buffalo, N.
Y, has decided to locate here and will
take u2 his Office in the quarters at
present occupied by DR.. Randall. DR..
Rothenburg is a graduate of the Medic
= 4.